LALIFF Retrospective 2019
Features (3)
Councilwoman – A hotel housekeeper has won a City Council seat in Providence, RI. Energized to advocate for low-income workers, her stamina for politics is put to the test. Directed by Margo Guernsey. (USA)
Divine Love – Brazil, 2027. A deeply religious woman uses her position in a notary’s office to advance her mission to save struggling couples from divorce. Whilst waiting for a sign in recognition of her efforts, she’s confronted with a crisis in her own marriage that ultimately brings her closer to God. Directed by Gabriel Mascaro.(Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Denmark, Norway, Sweden)
I’ll See You Around – Lucas struggles to break the cycle of addiction gripping his family and risks losing everyone he loves if he can’t learn to forgive. Directed by Daniel Fermin Pfeffer. (USA)
Shorts (9)
“And the Brave Shall Rise” – Rooted in the newfound strength of a movement led by stay-at-home moms, one woman decides to run for office in a grass-roots effort to honor her son and family. Directed by Adam Schlachter. (USA)
“Chicle” (“Gum”) – An ill-tempered teenager attempts to find peaceful solitude on the day of her grandfather’s passing until an estranged friend pays her a visit. Directed by Lizette Barrera. (USA)
“Figueroa” – When his younger brother loses a fight, a teenage boy tries to teach his little brother about manhood, only to face an event that threatens to shatter their world altogether. Directed by Victor Hugo Duran. (USA)
“Pozole” – When Maia sets out to reconnect with her traditional Mexican roots on her Nana’s 100th birthday, things go terribly wrong. Directed by Jessica Mendez Siqueiros. (USA)
“Simon Cries” – Simon, wrecked by a love sorrow, overflows with sadness. Directed by Sergio Guataquira Sarmiento. (Belgium)
“Skaya” – Sergio Ramirez builds a basketball and academics program that empowers a generation of kids in the north western mountains of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Directed by Gabriel Noguez. (USA)
“Suicidrag” – The Mexican group of drag queens Suicidrag streak the streets and nightclubs of Mexico City to raise awareness about the gender stereotype imposed by the consumer society. Directed by Andrea Perez Su. (Mexico)
“Unlucky’s Luck” – On his 63rd birthday, Pellito receives a ticket for the Fortune’s Raffle, an almost surreal lottery that comes into town. Directed by Felipe Holguin Caro. (Colombia)
“Water Warrior” – Water Warrior is a short film about Latina surfers and why seeing yourself in the sport you love matters. Directed by Mónica Medellín. (USA)
Episodic (3)
South of Sunset: Fake Mexicans – After an Executive tells Mexican-American writer DJ Banks his writing isn’t authentic, and with the help of his comedic cousins, DJ sets his day on rediscovering his cultural authenticity by re-connecting with an old Mexican-American lady friend that ends up in disaster. Directed by David Tripler. (USA)
Stoned Breakups – Writer Daniel F. Pérez gets really high and opens up about a tragic east coast romance and breakup as a group of sober comedians reenact it. Directed by Benjamin-Shalom Rodriguez. (USA)
Unimundo 45 – When the anti-immigrant candidate wins the presidency, a jaded Latina news producer sheds her cynicism and reconnects with her suppressed activist side—on live TV. Directed by Thembi Banks. (USA)
